GREENWOOD - The Lander Bearcats had No. 5-ranked USC Aiken on the ropes, but Kingsley Oguchi's 19 points and two big 3-pointers rallied the Pacers to a 66-61 Peach Belt Conference victory Wednesday night at Horne Arena.
Aiken recorded its ninth consecutive win, improving to 22-2 overall and 16-1 in the Peach Belt. Lander fell to 9-15 overall and 6-10 in the conference.
But the Bearcats threw a scare into Aiken. The Pacers missed their first 11 shots of the game from the floor and trailed 9-0. Aiken also faced a 12-point deficit in the second half. But Lander had only one field goal in the final seven-plus minutes and was unable to complete its upset bid.
Oguchi hit six of 10 shots from the floor, including five of nine from 3-point range to lead the Pacers. Cordaryl Ballard added 16 points and Job Casimir scored 12. Oguchi and Jores Dongo led Aiken with seven rebounds apiece.
Zach Evans paced Lander with 17 points, Dane Sparrow scored 13 points, and Curtis Milner added 11 points. Sparrow and Milner led the Bearcats with six rebounds apiece.
Lander made 21 of 43 shots from the floor (49 percent), 14 of 15 free throws (93 percent), and five of 13 from behind the 3-point line (38 percent). Aiken rebounded from its cold-shooting start to hit 21 of 55 shots (38 percent), 13 of 17 free throws (77 percent), and 11 of 26 from 3-point range (42 percent). The Bearcats had a 33-25 edge on the boards.
Leading 31-28 at halftime, Lander opened the second half with a 12-3 run, taking a 43-31 lead on Houston Wright's 3-pointer with 15:40 left in the game. The Bearcats still led by eight, 49-41, on Scottie Smith's jumper at the 10:18 mark.
Aiken began to chip away its deficit but still trailed 53-47 with 7:09 left when Milner scored inside for Lander. Wright's two free throws gave the Bearcats a 55-50 lead just under the six-minute mark.
But Oguchi hit a 3-pointer to pull the visitors within 55-53, Jeremy Fears hit a trey to give the Pacers their first lead of the game at 56-55 with 4:16 to go, and Oguchi hit another 3-pointer to push Aiken's lead to 59-55 at the 3:12 mark.
Facing a deficit for the first time, Lander ended Aiken's 9-0 run with a pair of free throws by Evans to close the hosts within 59-57 with 2:11 to go. It was the first points for the Bearcats in five minutes. After Ballard's basket gave the Pacers a 61-57 lead at the 1:58 mark, Sparrow hit two free throws to pull Lander within 61-59 with 1:35 left.
Ballard scored again at the 1:08 mark to push Aiken's lead to four points at 63-59. Brenton Harris scored on a put-back to pull the Bearcats within 63-61 with 36 seconds left.
Casey McMasters hit two free throws, giving the Pacers a 65-61 lead with 23 seconds to go. Fears missed a free throw, but Oguchi's steal and free throw sealed Aiken's victory.
Lander took its 9-0 lead on a 3-pointer by Sparrow, two baskets by Evans, and a bucket by Darius Johnson. The Pacers finally got on the scoreboard eight minutes into the game when Casimir hit two free throws to make it 9-2. Ballard scored Aiken's first field goal of the game halfway through the first half - at the 9:59 mark - closing the gap to 13-6.
Ballard's 3-pointer at the 7:36 mark pulled Aiken within 16-13. A basket by Evans and Milner's three-point play pushed the Bearcat lead back to 21-13. Casimir's 3-pointer and Ballard's basket closed the Pacers within 30-28. Lander led 31-28 at halftime.
